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Public Speaking 1 - LESSON 2

The document outlines a 1-hour course on public speaking focused on building confidence and overcoming stage fright. It includes lesson objectives, techniques for managing stage fright, confidence-building strategies, and activities such as breathing exercises and a mini-speech practice. The course also features a TED Talk by Dr. Ivan Joseph and concludes with a reflection assignment for students.

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Joven Udtohan
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21 views5 pages

Public Speaking 1 - LESSON 2

The document outlines a 1-hour course on public speaking focused on building confidence and overcoming stage fright. It includes lesson objectives, techniques for managing stage fright, confidence-building strategies, and activities such as breathing exercises and a mini-speech practice. The course also features a TED Talk by Dr. Ivan Joseph and concludes with a reflection assignment for students.

Uploaded by

Joven Udtohan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Slide 1: Title Slide​

Content:
● Course: Public Speaking I: TED Talks in the Classroom​
​ ● Topic: Building Confidence and Overcoming Stage Fright​
​ ● Duration: 1 hour

Slide 2: Lesson Objectives​


Content: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1.​ Identify at least three techniques for building self-confidence
2.​ Apply two strategies to overcome stage fright
3.​ Analyze and discuss key points from a TED Talk on self-confidence
4.​ Demonstrate improved confidence in a brief public speaking exercise

Slide 2.1
Content:

Understanding Stage Fright

Stage fright, also known as performance anxiety, is a common experience that affects people
from all walks of life, including seasoned performers and public speakers. It's more than just a
case of the "butterflies"; it's a physiological and psychological response to the perceived threat
of performing in front of an audience.

What is Stage Fright? (Definition)

●​ At its core, stage fright is a form of social anxiety. It's the apprehension, fear, or persistent
phobia that arises when an individual is required to perform in front of an audience,
whether real or imagined. This performance can take many forms, from giving a formal
presentation to participating in a class discussion.
●​ It's important to understand that stage fright is a normal reaction. It's a natural human
response to feeling vulnerable and exposed.

Common Physical and Psychological Symptoms

Stage fright manifests in a variety of physical and psychological symptoms, which can vary in
intensity from person to person.

●​ Physical Symptoms:
○​ Rapid heartbeat
○​ Sweating
○​ Trembling or shaking
○​ Dry mouth
○​ Nausea or upset stomach
○​ Dizziness or lightheadedness
○​ Muscle tension
●​ Psychological Symptoms:
○​ Negative self-talk (e.g., "I'm going to mess up")
○​ Racing thoughts and difficulty concentrating
○​ Feelings of panic or dread
○​ Fear of forgetting one's lines or material
○​ The urge to escape the situation.

Why it Happens (Fight-or-Flight Response, Fear of Judgment)

Stage fright is rooted in the body's "fight-or-flight" response, a primal survival mechanism.

●​ Fight-or-Flight Response:
○​ When we perceive a threat (in this case, the perceived threat of public speaking),
our bodies release adrenaline.
○​ This surge of adrenaline triggers the physical symptoms mentioned earlier,
preparing us to either confront the threat or flee from it.
○​ Even though public speaking isn't a life-threatening situation, our brains can still
interpret it as a stressful event.
●​ Fear of Judgment:
○​ A significant component of stage fright is the fear of being judged or evaluated
negatively by the audience.
○​ This fear can stem from concerns about our appearance, performance, or the
content of our presentation.
○​ Social anxiety plays a large role, where people are afraid of being humiliated.
○​ Perfectionism can also drive the fear of judgement.

Slide 3: Building Confidence​


Content:​
3.1. Key elements of confidence:
●​ Body language: Posture, gestures, eye contact
●​ Voice: Tone, pace, volume
●​ Preparation: Research, practice, knowing your audience

3.2. Positive self-talk techniques:


●​ Replace negative thoughts with positive ones
●​ Use affirmations: "I am well-prepared and capable"
●​ Focus on your message, not your performance
​
3.3. Visualization exercises:
●​ Imagine successful speech delivery
●​ Visualize a supportive audience
●​ Picture yourself calm and confident

Instructor Note: Demonstrate good posture, open gestures, and maintaining eye contact. Guide
students through a brief visualization exercise.

Slide 4: Activity - Confidence Boosting Exercise (5 minutes)​


Content:​
​ ● Students pair up​
​ ● Demonstrate two "power poses"​
​ ● Pairs take turns holding a power pose for 30 seconds while their partner gives positive
affirmations​
​ ● Debrief: Ask 2-3 students how the exercise made them feel

Slide 5: Overcoming Stage Fright​


Content:​

1. Common symptoms of stage fright:


●​ Rapid heartbeat
●​ Sweating
●​ Shaky voice
●​ Blank mind

2. Deep breathing techniques:


●​ Diaphragmatic breathing
-​ Find a comfortable position: You can lie on your back, sit in a chair, or stand.
-​ Place your hands: Place one hand on your upper chest and the other hand on your
abdomen, just below your ribcage.
-​ Inhale: Breathe in slowly through your nose. Focus on making your abdomen rise, while
keeping your chest relatively still.
-​ Exhale: Breathe out slowly through your mouth, tightening your abdominal muscles and
letting your abdomen fall. Again, try to keep your chest relatively still.
-​ Repeat: Continue this pattern for several minutes.

●​ 4-7-8 breathing technique

How it works:

●​ Inhale: Breathe in quietly through your nose for a count of 4 seconds.


●​ Hold: Hold your breath for a count of 7 seconds.
●​ Exhale: Exhale completely through your mouth, making a "whoosh" sound, for a count
of 8 seconds.

3. Progressive muscle relaxation:


●​ Brief explanation of the technique
●​ Focus on tensing and relaxing major muscle groups

4. Reframing nervousness as excitement:


●​ Explain how nervousness and excitement are physiologically similar
●​ Techniques to reframe thoughts from "I'm nervous" to "I'm excited"

Instructor Note: Demonstrate and practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique as a class.

Slide 6: Activity - Breathing and Relaxation Exercise (5 minutes)​


Content:​
​ ● Guide students through a brief deep breathing exercise (2 minutes)​
​ ● Lead a short progressive muscle relaxation focusing on face, neck, and shoulders (3
minutes)
Slide 7: TED Talk: "The skill of self-confidence" by Dr. Ivan Joseph​
Content:​
​ ● Duration: 8 minutes (first part of the talk)​
​ ● Focus: Building self-confidence

Instructor Note: Play the TED Talk video. Ask students to take notes on key points and
techniques mentioned.

Slide 8: Discussion Questions (12 minutes)​


Content:
1.​ What key points did Dr. Joseph make about self-confidence?
2.​ How can his advice be applied to public speaking?
3.​ What techniques mentioned in the talk resonate with you?
Instructor Note: Divide class into small groups for discussion, then facilitate whole-class
sharing.

Slide 9: On-site Task: Mini-Speech Practice (10 minutes)​


Content:​
​ ● Prepare a 30-second introduction about yourself, incorporating a confidence-building
technique​
​ ● 3-4 volunteers present their introductions to the class​
​ ● Brief feedback from peers and instructor

Slide 10: Conclusion and Assignment​


Content:​
​ ● Recap of key points​
​ ● Assignment: Write a 1-page reflection on your biggest public speaking fear and create a
plan to overcome it using techniques learned in class​
​ ● Exit ticket: Write one technique you plan to try before the next class

Slide 11: References and Further Reading​


Content:
1.​ Cuddy, A. J., Wilmuth, C. A., & Carney, D. R. (2012). The benefit of power posing
before a high-stakes social evaluation. Harvard Business School Working Paper, No.
13-027.
2.​ Dwyer, K. K., & Davidson, M. M. (2012). Is public speaking really more feared than
death? Communication Research Reports, 29(2), 99-107.
3.​ Joseph, I. (2012). The skill of self-confidence [Video]. TED Conferences.
https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_ivan_joseph_the_skill_of_self_confidence
4.​ Lucas, S. E. (2015). The Art of Public Speaking (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
5.​ Tanner, B. A. (2012). Validity of global physical and emotional SUDS. Applied
Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 37(1), 31-34.

Time Breakdown:​
● Introduction and Objectives (5 minutes)​
● Building Confidence presentation and activity (15 minutes)​
● Overcoming Stage Fright presentation and activity (15 minutes)​
● TED Talk Video (8 minutes)​
● Discussion of TED Talk (12 minutes)​
● Mini-Speech Practice (10 minutes)​
● Conclusion and Assignment (5 minutes)

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